Trae Young's All-NBA Selection Hurts Hawks Salary Cap

Yesterday's price is not today's price.

Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Last night was life-changing for Trae Young and his entire family. The 23-year-old was recognized for his historic season by being voted All-NBA Third Team. Young has started in two All-Star Games, but an All-NBA selection is far more prestigious - and lucrative.

Yesterday’s Price is NOT Today’s Price!
🙏🏽🏀❣️💯 #Blessed pic.twitter.com/iXewkd0wQb

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 25, 2022

In August 2021, the Atlanta Hawks and Young agreed to a five-year, $207 million contract extension which kicks in during the 2022-23 season. Now that Young has been named to an All-NBA team, it enacts the supermax clause of his contract, netting him an extra $35 million roughly, including $6.1 million more for just next season.

We love to see it. Young secured the bag, thanks to an absolutely bonkers season. He averaged career highs in ten different statistical categories and became the second player in history to lead the NBA in total points and assists.

Not only do I believe Young deserves every last penny of the supermax deal, but his play also warranted a First Team All-NBA selection, not third. The man himself had to calm me down last night on Twitter (good looks, my friend). 

However, if you're Hawks governor Tony Ressler and president Travis Schlenk, last night made their job even more difficult. The Hawks were floating with the luxury tax before Young's selection and are now roughly $3.8 million over the  $149 million threshold. 

Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell are good friends with mutual respect / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Hawks have only nine players on the books for next season and have already publicly committed to upgrading the roster this offseason. Over the past two weeks, we have learned there is a high level of interest in two free agents, Deandre Ayton and Zach LaVine. Additionally, Donovan Mitchell, who is already on a contract with the Utah Jazz through the 2025-26 season, is interested in joining the Hawks.

The good news is that Ressler is on the record saying the luxury tax doesn't scare him. That's great because paying a hefty bill is the price of being a championship contender. With the 2022 NBA Draft in June and free agency in July, Atlanta's front office has its work cut out for them. As Young likes to remind us, "Another Day, Another Opportunity."

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